The present invention relates to pads for use under riding saddles and, more particularly, to a new and improved saddle pad which provides a maximum degree of comfort for both the rider and the animal, e.g., a horse, particularly at the contact points of the rider's seat and legs on the horse.
Heretofore, it has been customary to employ a pad of felt or fabric, or a blanket between the ordinary riding saddle and the horse, the primary purpose being to prevent the saddle from chafing the horse. These pads or blankets are comparatively short lived and do not serve particularly well the purposes for which they are used, especially the cushioning of shocks and pressure on the horse's back and sides resulting from the contact of the rider's seat and legs on the horse. A particular aim of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an improved saddle pad that will not only wear longer than saddle pads heretofore in use, but will serve more effectually to prevent chafing and soreness, while at the same time increasing the comfort and leg contact of the rider.